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ONG LOST POINT IN HISTORY. 




AN ADDRESS, 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 



ONEIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 



UTICA, N. Y„ 



BY L. ■W. LEDYARD, ESQ., 



OF CAZENOVIA, N. Y. 



JANUARY 9, 1883 




UTICA, N. Y. : 

ONEIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
1883. , 



faf"^ 



\ 



1030 



■'' LONG LOST POINT IN HISTORY. 

)py 1 



AN ADDRESS, 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 



ONEIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 

UTICA, N. Y., 

BY L. W. LED YARD, ESQ.,, 

OF CAZENOVIA, N. Y. 

JANUAliY 9 1883. 



PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 



UTICA, N.Y.: 
T H FLOYD, PRINTER, CORNER BROAD AND JOHN STREETS. 

1883. 



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-2,0 



u' 



A LONG LOST POINT IN HISTORY. 



How few of the denizens of this busy city, hastening on after 
the manner of our times, give a passing thought to the past of 
this land now so fair. Looking over the broad valley that the 
Mohawk has worn away in geological periods, and later filled and 
made fertile with the rich soils stolen from the hills and borne 
silently year after year to the lowland, it is not easy to realize 
that it was ever other than the fair scene it now offers to charm 
and interest the thoughtful observer. Charming indeed, with 
broad play of Hght and shadow falling here upon a bit of wood- 
land, there upon golden grain ; with deep ravines hiding lovely 
nooks where alone ferns and mosses with their graceful forest 
kind live on when driven from the lands they once made beautiful ; 
with bold high hills making one beyond another, sky lines of 
wondrous beauty ; and with now and then a glimpse of water 
that in turn steals for itself the beauties of the overhanging forest, 
and the tints of the azure, or the golden sunset sky. Interesting 
indeed, with the whirl and beat of human progress ; as seen in 
the white plumed train, the towering factory, and the many evi- 
dences that eager, restless hands are busy, changing, moulding, 
perchance improving, the valley and surrounding slopes 

All this fills the mind ; through so vivid a present the past is 
seen but dimly if at all, yet in the developments through which 
we may trace the story of human changes, few lands present so 
much to startle the student, could he dream that the past was a 
lesson to be repeated in the future. 

If we could bring ourselves to imagine that all our surround- 
ings, our race, our homes, and our inherited customs, were to be 
swept away like shadows, in hardly more than a lifetime, all to be 
replaced by men of strange and unknown traits, possessing pow- 
ers to us undreamed of, we would not more than realize the simple 
story of the white invasion of America. Yet here this magical 
result has followed the occupation of our race as it has flowed in 
like a tide ; full of the vigor, power and intelligence that are our 
inheritance from generations of bold, adventurous, skillful men^ 
and this tide has been so widely and overwhelmingly superior in 



customs, ideas and aims, to the original occupant of the land, that 
mingling was impossible. No progress or elevation could so 
change the American Indian as to enable him to act with the new 
and impatient race; so despite muscles like steel, the vigor and en- 
durance of animals, and the undaunted courage of warrior blood, 
they have gone before the man of broader brain and his works, 
like autumn leaves before a gale, until almost as a winter's snow 
gives place to the spring verdure, has all the face of nature about 
us yielded to the white man's changing hand. 

The story of a century here in Central New York, is the history 
from the pioneer to the finished city ; back of that where are we, 
and how in our minds shall we picture the scenes now so familiar 
and attractive ? Our lakes were then the mirrors of a wild beauty, 
surrounded by a forest primeval. 

But where are the hearts that beneath it, 
Leaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland 
The voice of the huntsman ? 

Where indeed ? Linger here and there by little pits, slightly 
sunken amid gnarled roots, that long have interlaced since with 
rude stone tools, groups of dusky figures have given back to earth 
one by one their numbers, and there marked only by a little 
brighter green, or a growth slightly varied from the woodland 
carpet, they rest, pressed by feet of a race by them unknown and 
unimagined. 

Looking again in retrospect, we find little to claim as known 
with certainty, and from signs that many pass unjieeded, and from 
vague traditions alone, are we left to unravel from the past, slight 
threads of history. Comparative ethnology is collecting a vast 
array of information bearing upon the earlier races of America, 
but the chief results are the undermining of old theories, while 
no structures that bid fair to endure are built as yet from the dis- 
turbed material. 

In the so called old world, there were many centuries in each of 
the retrograde aspects of civilization. Going backward from 
what we may now term the electric age, electric in mental as well 
as material character, we find the steel, the iron, and the bronze 
ages, all more or less fully included in the realms of written his- 
tory, and surrounded by as much of certainty as may be attested 
by the pens of periods full of ignorance, superstition and preju- 
dice; but beyond them, in regarding the ages of bone, flint and 
stone, we pass to unrecorded times, and are left to the resources 



of speculation, aided by such knowledge as may be brought to 
bear from a study of the races now in their rude periods of flint 
and stone. 

In America, the European invader of the iron age, came face 
to face with a people still in the stone age ; a period so far hid- 
den in the European past as to be considered only in the studies 
of archaeologists, when aroused by such discoveries as those of 
the Swiss Lakes, the Bone Caves, and the Rhone Gravel Beds; 
and not only are we called upon to regard the meeting of varied 
races, but the simultaneous existence of two conditions of human 
progress, so different, that when regarded in the light of the 
changes developed in producing the civilization of Europe, they 
are seen to represent the forward impulse that has required many 
centuries, or more probably, some thousands of years, in reaching 
the era that came with the adventurous Frenchman, the stubborn 
Puritan, and the treasure-seeking Spaniard. 

Knowing that our race has evolved the steam giant from the 
spark accidentally produced from two flints, or from the hint of 
friction in chaffing branches ; the steamship from perchance a 
floating leaf; the column-surrounded temple from the tree stem, 
the gothic cathedral from its branches ; a ball dress from the sim- 
ple decoration of a goat skin ; ceramics, with a K, from a river 
worn stone ; the telegraph and electric light from early but peril- 
• ous experiments with a cat's back ; and all our myriad multipli- 
city of never to be satisfied needs, from a few simple animal re- 
quirements, we cannot refrain from speculating as to how far the 
native Indian if he had possessed this wonderful continent undis- 
turbed, wou^ld have progressed. As ages passed would his eye 
have become thoughtful, his brow broadened, and his hand train- 
ed to new and complex acts? 

He knew the use of fire, he cooked his food with hot stones, 
and burned rude pottery, that is found in such abundant frag- 
ments as to suggest the existence of a pre historic domestic of the 
tribe that make, but do not speak, broken China. 

His implements were of flint, stone and bone, possibly but not 
probably of copper. Bronze and iron, the first sources of new pow- 
ers he had not achieved, yet he constructed a canoe of such 
beauty and perfection, that grace and swiftness are associated with 
the name ; he cut away with fire, and his stone axe the forest, and 
with shells and sticks hardened in fire, made plantations of corn, 
and considerable earthworks. 



His mind had formed a religion of marked and encouraging 
promise; in tale, legend, tradition and allegory, facts and fancies 
were deftly woven. But it will never be known how far the usual 
onward steps would have been taken by the red man, had the 
mariner's compass never guided a new civilization to overwhelm 
him with the forces wrested from nature by brain power. 

We cannot tell whether he would have hunted on under the 
universal woodland, and camped by rivers free from new imoulses* 
or whether in time he would have found the metals under the 
forest mosses ; have set to work the wind sighing in the pine tops,, 
the stream bubbling in the fern-clad ravine, and the tide in its 
ebb and flow, — if the mill would have replaced the stone pestle ^ 
the wheel and axle the weary back, not of his noble self, but of 
his squaw ; the roadway have followed the forest trail, and broad 
fields have been opened to the summer sun. 

As far as recent impressions are founded on wide investigation 
they do not encourage the belief that the Indian found in the 
eastern part of the North was progressive, but rather lead to the 
opinion that a more advanced race had preceded him, especially 
in the section west of us. In the western part of our State the 
remains of the Mound Building races commence, and are contin- 
uously followed, with few marked breaks in the chain, to the re- 
markable mounds and teocalli of Mexico and Central Africa. 
These were evidently built with more and more skill and labor 
as they near the South, — sod banks are replaced by rough stone, 
rough stone by cut stones of massive form, and they assume more 
and more size and mechanical perfection. It is suggested that 
they were made by a race moving slowly along their course, either 
southwest-ward with increasing skill, wealth and power, or the re- 
verse, with diminished numbers and lessened capacity to concen- 
trate labor. 

There are other indications that a race more like the Eskimo, 
with similar use of bones, stone and flint, were earlier occupants of 
the section between the lower lakes and the coast, and that they 
retreated northward, perhaps following the changes of climate 
that are evidenced by unmistakable marks on all the rocky sum- 
mits about us; but more must be woven from threads traced here 
and there, some strong, others slender, before we can say any 
positive words of the men who in human strata underlaid race by 
race the red man found in undisputed occupation of our hills and 
valleys. 



But we are wandering away from the "lost point in history," 
that it has been the main purpose of this paper to consider. It 
is the long in-doubt location of the Indian encampment and fort 
that was the objective point in the expedition of the French in- 
vader Champlain, in 1615, two hundred and sixty-seven years ago, 
the earliest recorded event of Central New York, being six years 
after the attempt of the same explorer to follow the water ways 
of Lake Champlain, and five years before the landing on Ply- 
mouth Rock. 

From a careful translation of Champlain's Journal, published in 
volume three of the Documentary History of New York, we will 
read the parts describing in his own words his disastrous and adven- 
turous expedition into a vast and unknown woodland, filled with 
savages of courageous character. The time at which his narra- 
tive is here taken up, was in September, 161 5. His army consist- 
ed of Northern Indians and a few French Arquebuseiers, with their 
clumsy weapons, (which were, however, very alarming, and some- 
times effective in the contests in which arrows and stones were the 
other means of attack and defence ;) and they were among the 
islands at the east end of Lake Ontario. His story of their pro- 
gress, is as follows : 

"We continued along the border of the Lake of the Entouhon- 
orons, always hunting ; being there, we crossed over at one of the 
extremities, tending eastward, which is the beginning of the River 
St. Lawrence, in the parallel of forty-three degrees of latitude. 
There are some beautiful and very large islands in this passage. 
We made about fourteen leagues, (fifty-six miles,) to cross to the 
other side of the Lake, proceeding southward, toward the enemy's 
country. The Indians concealed all their canoes in the woods 
near the bank. We travelled by land about four leagues over a 
grassy plain, where I observed a very pleasing and fine country, 
watered by numerous small streams, and two little rivers which 
empty into said Lake, and a number of ponds and prairies, where 
there was an infinite quantity of game, a great many vines and 
fine trees, vast numbers of chestnuts, the fruit of which was yet in 
the shell. It is quite small but well flavored. 

"All the canoes being thus concealed, we left the bank of the 
Lake, which is eighty leagues long and twenty-five wide. It is in- 
habited for the greater part by savages, along the sides of the 
streams, and we continued our journey overland some twenty-five 
or thirty leagues. In the course of four days we traversed a num- 
ber of streams and one river issuing from a lake which empties 



8 

into that of the Entouhonorons. This Lake is twenty-five to 
thirty leagues in circumference, with many beautiful islands, and 
is the Iroquois fishing ground, fish being in abundance there. 

"The 9th of October, our Indians going out scouting, encounter- 
ed eleven savages, whom they took prisoners ; to wit, four women, 
three boys, one girl, and three men, who were going fishing, four 
leagues distant from the enemy's fort. Now it is to be noted that 
one of the Chiefs seeing these prisoners, cut the finger off one of 
those poor women, as the commencement of their usual tortures. 
Whereupon I interfered, and censured the Iroquois captain, repre- 
senting to him that a warrior, as he called himself, was not in the 
habit of acting cruelly towards women, who have no defence but 
their tears, and who, by reason of their helplessness and feeble- 
ness, ought to be treated with humanity. That on the contrary, 
this act would be supposed to proceed from a vile and brutal 
courage, and that if he committed any more of those cruelties, he 
would not encourage me to assist them, nor to favor their war. 
Whereupon he replied that their enemies treated them in the 
same manner. But since such customs displeased me, he would 
not act so any more to women, but exclusively to men, 

"Next day, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived before 
the enemy's fort, where the savages had some skirmishes, the one 
against the other, though it was not our design to discover our- 
selves until the morrow ; but the impatience of our savages would 
not brook this, as well through the desire they felt to see us fire 
on their enemies, as to liberate some of their men who had ven- 
tured too far. Then I advanced and presented myself, but with 
the few men I had ; nevertheless, I showed them what they had 
never saw nor heard before, for as soon as they saw us, and heard 
the reports of the arquebuses, and the balls whistling about their 
ears, they retired promptly within their fort, carrying off their 
wounded and dead ; and we retreated in like manner to our main 
body, with five or six of our wounded, one of whom died. 

"This being done, we retired within gun-shot, beyond the view 
of the enemy, contrary, however, to my advice, and to what they 
had promised me, which moved me to make use of and express to 
them pretty rude and angry words, in order to incite them to 
their duty foreseeing, that if everything went according to their 
tantasy, and counsel, nothing but misfortune would result, to their 
ruin and destruction. Nevertheless, I failed not to send to them 
and to propose means necessary to be used to overcome their 



enemies ; which was, to construct a movable tower of timber to 
overlook their pickets, whereupon I should perch four or five of 
our arquebussiers, who would fire over the palisades and gallerieS; 
which were well supplied with stones, and by this means, the ene- 
my, who annoyed us from their galleries, would be dislodged ; 
and in the meantime, we should give orders for some boards to 
form a species of parapet to cover and protect our men from the 
arrows and stones. 

"These things, namely, the tower and parapets, could be moved 
by main force ; and one was made in such a way that water could 
not extinguish the fire to be applied to the front of the fort ; and 
those on the tower could do their duty with some arquebussiers 
posted there, and thus acting, we should so defend ourselves that 
they could not approach to extinguish the fire, that we should 
apply to their pickets. Approving this, they began next morn- 
ing to construct and prepare said tower and parapets ; and made 
such progress that these were finished in less than four hours. 

"They were expecting the arrival this day of the five hundred men 
that had been promised, which was, however, doubtful ; not being 
at the rendezvous, as directed, and as they had promised, our 
savages were much afflicted. But seeing that they were numer- 
ous enough to capture the forts, and for my part, considering de- 
lay to be always prejudicial, at least in most cases, I urged them 
to attack said fort, representing that the enemy, discovering their 
strength and the effect of our arms, which pierced what was arrow- 
proof, would barricade and shelter themselves, which indeed, they 
did very well, for their village was enclosed with strong quadruple 
palisades of large timber, thirty feet high, interlocked the one 
with the other, with an interval of not more than half a foot be- 
tween them ; with galleries in the form of parapets, defended with 
double pieces of timber, proof against our arquebuses, and on one 
side they had a pond with a never failing supply of water, from 
which proceeded a number of gutters which they had laid along 
the intermediate space, throwing the water without, and rendered 
it effectual inside, for the purpose of extinguishing fire. 

"Such was their mode of fortification and defence, which was 
much stronger than the villages of the Hurons, and others. 

"We advanced then to attack the village ; causing our tower to 
be carried by two hundred of our strongest men, they placed it 
within a pike's length in front and I posted on it four arquebus- 
siers, all sheltered from any arrows and stones that might have 



10 

been shot at them. Nevertheless, the enemy did not, for ail that^ 
cease cischarging and throwing a great number of arrows and 
stones over their pickets, but the multitude of arquebus shots that 
were fired, constrained them to vacate and abandon their galleries. 

"But according as the tower was moved, instead of bringing the 
parapets as ordered, and that on which we were to have placed 
the fire, they abandoned them and commenced to yell against 
their enemies, shooting arrows within the fort, which, in my opin- 
ion, did not do much execution. They are very excusable, for 
they are not soldiers, and are moreover averse to discipline or cor^ 
rection, and do only what they like. Wherefore, one inconsid- 
erately applied the fire to the wrong side of the fort, or to lee- 
ward, so that it produced no effect. On the fire being kindled, 
the most of the savages began to set wood against the pickets, but 
in such small quantities that the fire did not much good. The 
disorder that supervened, was in consequence so great that it was 
impossible to hear. In vain I cried to them and remonstrated as 
well as I was able against the imminent danger to which they ex- 
posed themselves by their stupidity. They heard nothing in 
consequence of the violent noise they made. Seeing that by 
shouting I was only splitting my skull, and that my remonstran- 
ces were in vain, and that this disorder was irremediable, I resolv- 
ed to do what was in my power with my men, and fire on those 
we could discover or perceive, yet the enemy profited by our dis- 
order. They went to the water and discharged it in such abun-^ 
dance, that rivers, it may be said, spouted from their gutters, so 
that the fire was extinguished in less than no time, and they con- 
tinued to pour arrows on us like hail. Those on the tower killed 
and wounded a great many. 

"This engagement lasted about three hours. Two of our chiefs 
and leaders were wounded ; to wit, one called Ochateguain, the 
other Orani, and about fifteen individuals besides. The rest see- 
ing their folks and some of their chiefs wounded, began to talk of 
retreating, without fighting any more, expecting the five hundred 
men, whose arrival was not far off ; and so they withdrew, having 
accomplished nothing save this disorderly splutter. However, 
the chiefs have no absolute control of their companions, who fol- 
low their whim, and act their pleasure, which is the cause of their 
disorder and ruins all their affairs. In having taken a resolution, 
any poor devil can make them violate it and change their plan. 
Thus, the one with the other, they effect nothing, as may be seen 
by this expedition. 



11 

"Having received two wounds from arrows, one in the leg and 
the other in the knee, which sorely incommoded me, we withdrew 
into our fort. Being all assembled there, I remonstrated with 
them several times on account of the disorder that had occurred. 
But all my talk was vain ; they said many of their men hSd been 
wounded and I also, and that it would be very inconvenient and 
fatiguing to carry them, on the retreat; that there was no means 
of returning again to the enemy as I had proposed to them ; but 
that they would willingly wait four days more for the five hun- 
dred men that were expected, on whose arrival they would renew 
the effort against the enemy, and execute what I had told them 
better than they had already done. It was necessary to stop there, 
to my great regret. 

"Next day blew a very strong and violent wind, which lasted two 
days, particularly favorable for setting the enemy's fort in a blaze, 
which I strongly urged on them. But fearing a failure, and more- 
over representing themselves as wounded, they would not do 
anything. 

"We remained encamped until the i6th of the month. Several 
skirmishes occurred during that time between the enemy and our 
people, who became oftenest engaged with them rather by their 
imprudence than through want of courage ; and I can assure you, 
that every time they made a charge, we were obliged to extricate 
them from the difificulty, not being able to extricate themselves 
except through the help of our arquebuses, which the enemy 
dreaded and greatly feared. For as soon as they perceived one 
of our arquebussiers, they immediately retreated, telling us by way 
of persuasion not to meddle with their fights, and that their 
enemies had very little courage to require our assistance ; with 
many other such like discourses. 

"Seeing that the five hundred men were not coming, they pro- 
posed to depart and retreat at once, and began to make certain 
litters to convey their wounded, who are put in them, tumbled in 
a heap, doubled and strapped in such a way that it is impossible 
to stir; less than an infant in its swaddling clothes ; not without 
considerable pain, as I can certify, having been carried several 
days on the back of one of our Indians, thus tied and bound, so 
that I lost all patience. As soon as I had strength to bear my 
weight, I got out of this prison, or, to speak plainer, out of helL 

"The enemy pursued us about the distance of half a league, 
endeavoring to catch some of the rear guard. But their labor was 
in vain and they retired. 



12 

"All I remarked in their wars is, that they retreat in good order ; 
placing all their wounded and old people in the centre, they being 
in front, on the wings and in the rear, well armed and arranged in 
such wise acccording to order, until they are in a place of safety, 
without breaking their line. Their retreat was very tedious, being 
from 25 to 30 leagues, which greatly fatigued the wounded and 
those who carried them, though they relieved each other from 
time to time. 

"On the 1 8th of said month, some snow fell, which melted rapidly. 
It was accompanied by a strong wind, which greatly annoyed us. 
Nevertheless, we contrived to get to the borders of the Lake of 
the Entouhonorons and at the place where we had concealed our 
canoes, which we found safe ; for we feared lest the enemy might 
have broken them." 

Accompanying this narrative was a drawing of the fort, and it 
represents a very extensive enclosure, peculiarly situated. It was 
enclosed by a triple row of high palisades, and was surrounded 
on three sides by water, on the east and west, if the view is drawn 
as facing north, one brook entering, and the other coming from 
the Pond (Etang,) which is the boundary of the work on the third 
or north side. A considerable area is shown as inclosed, occupied 
by a number of wigwams quite systematically placed in rows. 
Thus are presented some peculiar features. A slightly raised 
piece of land with two streams and a pond. The streams not 
entering the pond and leaving at the opposite end, as is common, 
but Slowing in and out on the same side a few rods apart. 

The site of this interesting fort has been the cause of many 
historical controversies, in which the skill of guarded writers has 
been enlisted, but no very definite conclusions were reached until 
General Clark, of Auburn, gave great attention to the research. 

Very little difference has been found in the views of various 
writers in following the path of Champlain and his motley fol- 
lowing to Oneida Lake. Grossing the lower end of Lake Ontario, 
his descriptions of the distances, and of characteristic features of 
the country, lead very accurately to that lake, where the evidence 
is made very conclusive by the mention of islands, Oneida being 
the only one of the lakes of Central New York that has islands. 

From this point, Champlain's march of four leagues has been 
made to carry him to many improbable points, some of them on 
Canandaigua Lake, sixty miles to the westward ; but at none of 
the points where it was assumed that the fort was situated, were 



13 

the natural features found to correspond to any extent with the 
peculiar ones of the French engineer's sketch. 

General Clark, in following out his investigations, concluded 
that the fishing ground, where the captives were taken, was the 
point where the Chittenango Creek enters Oneida Lake, and set- 
ting here on a map one point of a compass extended to the scale 
of four leagues or twelve miles, he drew a circle, and then pro- 
ceeded to examine all the promising points that it swept over. 
One of the first points visited, was Cazenovia; the outlet of 
Lake Owahgena being just under the line of the twelve mile radius, 
and there being at this place evidences of Indian occupation, but 
the formation of the land failed to correspond with expectations 
founded on a reliance on Champlain's exactness as a draughtsman. 
Foiled her.e, but not discouraged in his search, Gen. Clark made 
many inquiries of the writer with regard to Indian grounds, that 
should be examined. One only gave promise of realizing the 
requirements, without which no spot would be manifestly the 
place so eagerly sought, and that also was intersected by the free 
point of the compass still pivoting on the centre at Oneida Lake. 
The search was becoming very interesting indeed, and reminded 
us a little of the astronomer that was sure, from long study, that 
a planet was to be found in a certain calculated orbit, and we 
hoped that like him, events would prove these expectations true. 
Inclement storms and a bitter winter prevented continuing this 
search ; but in the following summer. Gen. Clark came again, and 
we arranged to meet immediately on the ground to be examined 
to learn if there wfts to be a new disappointment, or final success. 

The place was one that had long been recognized as a very 
important one in Indian times, and it was roughly described, and 
very erroneously, in Schoolcraft's work many years ago. It is east 
of Perryville, 9 miles northeast of Cazenovia, and near the mile 
strip Four Corners, on a farm owned by Mr. Nichols. Here the 
writer formerly excavated for Indian remains with success, and 
here Mr. Frank H. Gushing, when connected with the Smithsonian, 
unearthed many rare and interesting relics, which are now in that 
government collection. 

A large part of the area that bears evidence of having been 
included in the Indian ground, has been cultivated for years, but 
part remains, with venerable forest trees of great size. Where the 
plow has been, many bits of crockery and broken stone imple- 
ments are found ; while in the undisturbed ground can be seen 



14 

marks where the deeply set palisades decayed, where graves were 
dug and deep pits indicated that grain was cached or stored. 

A good deal of ground has been dug over by relic hunters, who 
for many years have enriched their cabinets from this abundant 
source. From high points adjacent, a wide view extends before 
the eye, one of very unusual extent and beauty, and a watch or 
alarm fire, lighted on this commanding height, would be seen 
from near Lake Ontario to the western peaks of the Adirondacks, 
and similar fires equally rem.ote would be plainly seen from these 
overlooking points. A small pond, where the ancient water mark 
was once much higher, is fed by a stream that enters and leaves 
it on the south, and a low broad knoll lies between these brooks. 

Such briefly is a mention of the place where the writer met 
Gen. Clark, by appointment, to test its features with Champlain's 
words and illustrations. 

The General had reached there the day before, and had already, 
with his fine engineering skill, made an accurate map, which so 
fully corresponded, even in minute details, with his preconceived 
ideas of the site of Champlain's fight, that he arose after a sleep- 
less night of thought, fully satisfied that after two hundred and 
sixty-two years of concealment, he had brought to light the 
earliest historic point of Central New York. It was with feelings 
very deeply stirred, that our party went over this ground, seeing 
the pond, the two streams, and the low, wide, central ground 
they surrounded on north, east and west, and even the small rise 
of ground the old sketch shows beyond the east creek ; then 
traced the palisade line and found beyond its limit many graves, 
perchance of savages that fell before the first shots fired among 
these hills, while defending their home. It was strange to realize 
that probably we were the first to recognize that this was the 
point where one of the movements was made of the long and 
bloody series that embraced the struggles of Indians, French, 
English and Dutch to possess these hills that command to-day 
the main strategic points of the north. 

Not uncontested does Gen. Clark find his views, but they are 
likely to be fully confirmed. He did not find a place as other 
explorers did, and bend all the record to it, but he took Cham- 
plain's story in the original, made his own severe translations, 
and with all firmly in his mind, discarded all and every place, 
without regard to its claims, until here he found a full realization 
of his faith in a localit}- that not only fits, but confirms Cham- 
plain's long disputed narrative. 



15 

So many features of this place meet and coincide with all that 
comes from authentic sources of information, regarding Cham- 
plain's former expeditions, that they cannot be deemed simple 
coincidences or accidental. The Indian occupation was evidently 
fully as ancient as the period of his invasion, for the large trees 
that still occupy part of the place are silent but incontestible 
witnesses that testify to not less than two centuries of undisturbed 
growth ; and unlike many other Indian works, these are free from 
any evidences of early communication with trappers or mission- 
aries. There are not found here the beads, medals or Jesuit 
tokens that are common in places that were occupied when the 
devoted priests and adventurous traders brought such things to 
dazzle and tempt the savages, then so eager to meet them and 
learn the mysteries the whites were masters of. 

Indeed, no change or adaptation is called for in Champlain's 
narrative, or in his sketch of the spot, to fit both to this hill top 
pond ; and although there are many ready pens disputing this 
long delayed discovery, there is every reason to feel assured that 
discussion will only eventually confirm the work that connects 
the story of 1615 with one of our most commanding summits. 

As it has been stated, with the exception of water in the form 
of a lake or pond, no features of Canandaigua or Onondaga Lakes 
are described that establish for points on their margins any 
especial claim to represent the form of ground that is shown in 
Champlain's drawing, and consequently this sketch has been 
regarded as largely fanciful ; but so accurately did the French 
commander describe the low level borders of Ontario, the sandy 
plains covered with chestnut trees, and the rivers and ponds lying 
between his landing place on Ontario and his camp in sight of the 
beautiful islands, that his observations cannot be regarded lightly. 
Indeed, so little has before been found to confirm his sketch, 
that facts have been about even as between the points assumed 
as the site of the fort, but now this is all changed ; for just at the 
proper distance from his camp by the islands, a large and impor- 
tant Indian work has been found, and when an eye trained in 
antiquarian research falls upon it, it sees that the palisaded work, 
if it could be restored from the mould of nearly three centuries, 
would fit it like hand and glove, even to the small knolls and 
winding streams. 

With Champlain's retreat ended the first French foray. Had 
their arms gained and maintained so strong a point at that early 
day, many pages of our history might tell a different tale, and 



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017 374 396 8 

possibly we might read it all in Frencu, lur it was a long conrest 
with nearly even chances that alone determined the French or 
English domination in the lake country of New York. 

The St. Lawrence, the valley of the Mohawk, Oneida and On- 
ondaga Lakes, and the Oswego River have all been frequent war- 
paths from the unrecorded days when scalps .were taken by rival 
savage warriors, and now it seems that one of the earliest incur- 
sions of the present ruling race, was met and defeated on one of 
our highest and most commanding points, where, long ago, the 
silent forest crept over the blood-stained grounds, and the autumn 
leaves of many years fell quietly on the spot, while the same con- 
test was swaying here and there, often on the plain that is over- 
looked from the points whence Champlain first saw the Indian 
stronghold. 

Here under the renewed forest, the secret lay hidden for two 
hundred and sixty-two years, at last to be discovered ; and the old 
story is brought from the archives of France to rest on a quiet 
pond, where herons have stood undisturbed, and none have 
dreamed that a war cry ever arose in the solitude. 



H LIRRARY OF CONGRESS 





